Casket construction



July 25, 1939.

D. OPPENHEIM CASKET CONSTRUCTION f Filed July 8, 19:57

I l4 INVENTOR Byflarzd' o v rzzzez'ng.

A TTORNEYS Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES OFFICE Claims.

Thisinvention relates to caskets and more particularly to casketswhichconsist of an ornamental outer shell forming a shroud for an innerburial pox, said shell being used repeatedly as adecorative cover forthe relatively inexpensive "burial boxes.

Since the purchase of an ornamental casket 'is'an'item of relativelylarge expense, it is one of the objects of the present invention to'provide a casket construction whereby the cost of funerals may begreatly decreased without sacrificing'the beauty of an expensive casketcon- 'struction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a two-piece casket inwhich there is provided improved means for connecting the shroud and theinner burial box, said means permitting easy and convenientdisconnecting and lowering of the burial box into the grave.

'It'is an' additional object of the invention to provide a casket of theforegoing character which is simple in construction and is relativelyinexpensive to manufacture, and in which the box suspending orconnecting means are simple and dependable in operation.

"Other objects of this invention will appear in thefollowing descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing'forming a part of this specification wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a perspective view of the casket in its assembled position,the cover being partly opened to show theinterior thereof.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the casket, showingthe suspension means.

. Fig. 3is a sectional view illustrating the method of lowering theburial box into the concrete vault.

Before explaining in detail the presentlinvention it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited in its application to the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and ofbeing practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to beunderstood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is forthe purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intendedto limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of theprior art.

In the drawing there is shown by way of example a casket constructionembodying the present invention. Referring to the drawing, the samecomprises generally an ornamental outer shell or shroud I!) having thegeneral appearance bfanfordinarycasket without a bottom, a burial 'box"I I,"'and suspension means generally indicated by the'numeral IZ'bywhichthe burial "box ll isoperativelysuspendedin the shell and"'canbelowered'therefrom onto the straps 5 [Siorlowering into 'theconcrete vault 14.Thus, "the'buri'al'box' ll is'actually'buried inthe con- "jcretefvault'|4,"wl'iile the ornamental shell Ii] "whichis' relatively expensiveis'preserved for repeated use.

The cover ofthe shell 10' comprises a fixed part "I fi'arida'hingedpartI6 which can be opened to permitdisplay of the remains of the deceased.'Handles"llareprovidedon the shell as shown for thepurpose ofconvenientcarrying and handling""of"the"'shell and burialbox as a unitary "casket.The'suspension means are provided at 1 each" of the ends "of the-shelland connect with the ends bf the burial box to form the casket.The-mechanism provided at the respective ends ==of the casket -areineffect complemental clamps which are substantially'similar inconstruction. -Eachaofsaid mechanisms comprises a bracket '=l8-secured-to-the shell -l0,-and a bolt I9 sup- .portedby the bracket I8,the bolt l9 passing l- 'through thehole provided in the bracket. A -nut-2fl.-operatively engages the bolt [9 and is prevented from rotation bya guide pin 2| provided on 'the' bracket '18. Thus, rotation of the boltl9 may be effected bymeans of a wrench- 22 adapted to pass through smallconcealed holes 23 'provided'in the cover of the shell I0, the wrench 22engaging the square heads 24 of the boltswhich upon'turning causesvertical move- 'ment" of the *nut'20.

-The' burialbox' II is. provided with two loop brackets or eyes25 whichare engaged by the hook'portions' of the hook rods 26, two of such"hook"'rodsb'eing provided at each end of the casket, said rods beinghinged at the nut 20 asa4 indicated at" 21.

"Theactualtprocess of disconnecting the shell "and"the"burial*'boxandburying the burial box is illustrated in Fig. 3. Referring thereto, 28indicates the grave pit at the bottom of which there is provided aconcrete or other suitable vault M for receiving the burial box. Thecasket is placed on the frame 30 which provides a firm footing thereforand which prevents caving in of the edges of the pit. The loweringstraps !3 are of any desired conventional construction and may besecured in and operated by the drums 3| provided with suitable springmechanisms (not shown) to produce the desired tension on the straps toenable gradual lowering of the burial box ll .into the vault 29. Itshould be noted that the sliding cover 32 of the box is moved from underthe fixed top part 33 for closing the box H before the hinged cover I6is closed.

It is also important to note that when the box II is suspended in theshell [0, it may be raised by the bolts against the stops 34 secured tothe shell. It], and therefore it is held in the shell very tight andsecure.

It is an important feature of the present invention that with the aid ofmy improved suspension meanslowe'ring of the burial box onto the strapsis eflected gradually and with full concasket which causes tilting ofthe burial box, or

possible breakage of the straps.

From an examination of Figs. 2 and 3 it can be seen that as the bolts 19are rotated, preferably by means of two wrenches from both sides of thecasket simultaneously, the burial box is lowered onto the straps andtension is put on said straps until they fully support, the burial box.Further rotation of the bolts will move the .hook portions of the rods26 downward with respect to the loop brackets 25. Since the hook rods 25in their engaged position are disposed at an angle, as soon as theirhook portions clear the loop brackets 25, the rods swing away from fromthe brackets and the burial box may be lowered without interference fromsaid rods. Construction and operation of the lowering straps and theirdrums is well known in the art 40 and therefore need not be described indetail as the features of such devices do not comprise a part of thepresent invention.

Thus, the present invention provides an improved means wherebysuspension of the burial box in the outer decorative shell is madedependable and secure, and the lowering of said box onto the strap maybe effected gradually and positively controlled at all times during thedisconnecting of the burial box from the shroud.

I claim:

1. In a casket construction having an outer decorative shell and aninner burial box, means detachably connecting said shell and. said box,said means comprising a plurality of vertically arranged bolts carriedby said shell and a corresponding plurality of travelling nuts engagingsaid bolts, means preventing rotation of the nuts when the respectivebolts are rotated, and rigid hook rods connected with said nuts anddepending therefrom for suspending and lowering said burial box, saidhook rods being hooked into loops upon the said burial box andautomatically disengageable therefrom after the burial box is supportedby lowering straps.

2. In a casket construction having an outer decorative shell and aninner burial box, means operatively connecting said shell and said box,said means comprising a plurality of vertically arranged bolts carriedby said shell and a corresponding plurality of travelling nuts engagingsaid bolts, guides preventing rotation of said nuts when theirrespective bolts are rotated, brackets on said burial box, and hook rodscarried by said nuts and fitting about said brackets at their inner,outer, and lower surfaces to detachably secure the burial box to theshell.

3. In a casket construction having an outer decorative shell and aninner burial box, means concealed in said shell and operable from theoutside thereof for detachably connecting said shell and said box andcomprising a plurality of vertically arranged bolts carried by saidshell and a corresponding plurality of travelling nuts engaging saidbolts and detachably supporting said burial box through swingable butrigid connecting links hooked within eye portions thereof, and means forrotating said bolts to'effect a gradual lowering of the burial boxrelative tothe shell before disconnection of the burial box from theshell takes place as a result of the lowering of the links relative tothe eye portions.

4. In a casket construction having an outer decorative shell and aninner burial box, means concealed in said shell and operable from theoutside thereof for detachably connecting said shell and said box, saidmeans comprising a plurality of vertically arranged bolts carried bysaid shell and a corresponding plurality of travelling nuts engagingsaid bolts, guides preventing rotation of said nuts when theirrespective bolts are rotated, brackets on said burial box, and hook rodscarried by said nuts and engaging said brackets to detachably supportthe burial box in the shell.

3. In a casket construction having an outer decorative shell and aninner burial box, means provided at each end of the casket foroperatively connecting said shell and said box, said means beingconcealed in said shell but operable from the outside thereof andcomprising a bracket secured to said shell; a vertically disposed boltsupported by said bracket; a guide pin on said bracket; a travelling nutoperatively engaging said bolt and said pin, whereby rotation of thebolt causes vertical movement of said nut;

loop brackets on said burial box; and hook rods lowered onto loweringstraps prior to disengagement of the hook rods from. the loop brackets.DAVID OPPENI-IEIM.

